<![CDATA[Bickleigh Vale - Bickleigh Vale | Downderry Blog]]>Sun, 16 Aug 2026 04:24:17 +1000Weebly<![CDATA[Wonderful helpers scurrying around...]]>Fri, 11 Oct 2019 02:18:31 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/wonderful-helpers-scurrying-around​Glen weaving his magic with the lawn, Jake doing last minute planting and Anna artistically arranging  - how lucky am I with all my amazing helpers? The sun is shining so let’s hope it’s the shape of things to come.
]]><![CDATA[Madness prevails...]]>Wed, 09 Oct 2019 13:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/madness-prevailsWe are definitely on the countdown now with only two days left till the Open Garden. We are all trembling with exhaustion except for Jake the gardener and Bonnie. Oh to be young and fit again!
]]><![CDATA[​17 days to go till the Open Garden]]>Wed, 25 Sep 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/17-days-to-go-till-the-open-garden
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How am I ever going to get it done?
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My new camellias are marching happily along the fence and my new area around the bird baths looks glorious, but still so many fiddly jobs to do and not much time.
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry, 26 September 2019_02
]]><![CDATA[New Driveway]]>Sat, 17 Aug 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/new-driveway​I am very excited as I had my drive way graded, I haven’t had it done for more than 8 years and there were crevasses at the lane end that practically went to China so I was expecting it to be astronomically expensive! Instead of that, Glen and Anna’s friend has done mine and theirs for a special price along with new toppings - so good! Then Glen hired a whacker and whacked it for me, How lucky am I and now with open garden in 6 weeks' time, my drive will have settled down. It’s just splendid now.

Of course Harold had to be involved too,

Bickleigh Vale, Downderry, new driveway 18 August 2019_02

I will have to pressure wash the gate before open garden too, but the garden is looking lovely the hellebores are out and bulbs too but the lovely old crabapples haven’t started yet, I still have a huge pile of gravel to move but Scott my gardener will help me. Glen and Anna did a lot yesterday but the extra gravel is to go on the paths,

​My word it’s sooo splendid!
]]><![CDATA[Hungry Cockatoos]]>Fri, 21 Jun 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/hungry-cockatoosThere are a lot of very hungry birds in my garden at Downderry, being winter. There seems to be more than usual and we have had such a wonderful amount of rain so no dry food.
I bought a huge bag of wild bird seed and they are loving it, although the magpies still prefer their steak.
Today, there has been lots of cockies - just so gorgeous but naughty! I'm not a very good wild life photographer, but couldn’t resist trying, They are such fun and it’s very funny with the pecking order being violated by the maggie’s, wattlebird and butcher birds - all waiting in line or dive bombing to get their share. Just splendid!!
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry cockatoos, 22 June 2019_1
]]><![CDATA[June 11th, 2019]]>Mon, 10 Jun 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/june-11th-2019I have been away for a week and as I am home again it is truly amazing how quickly things change. This cymbidium orchid outside my bedroom never usually flowers till my birthday in July but it’s started already - just stunning.
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden, 11 June 2019_3
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden, 11 June 2019_4

​Glorious sunshine today and there are hellebores with tiny buds, the copper beech and the linden have finished, but the corpse of elms is still going. The viburnum birkwoodii right at the front of the house has turned bronze in patches and with the sunshine on it, against dear old Downderry’s pink walls is incredible.
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden, 11 June 2019_5

I love the skeletal trees against her pink walls and the patches of remaining green are totally enhanced, I love winter in my garden.
]]><![CDATA[The first day of winter]]>Fri, 31 May 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/the-first-day-of-winter







​I have had the most wonderful afternoon, First day of winter and 12 months since Harry had his huge operation, He has been out all afternoon with the inevitable balls and has recovered well for an old chap!!!!!



​So here is my beautiful lemon tree covered in lemons, however don’t looks too close. No, they are not wired on, they are real, but the poor tree is inflicted with citrus gall wasp. I have cut it back to a stick twice, but now I have given up, I hate buying lemons.
My fabulous son in law has been over and worked his magic on dear old Downderry. He has blown and cut and turned it into fairy land again. The giant old oak had finished but the copper beech has really just started and the same with the mighty elm and the linden,
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_02
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​The dear old kookaburra was a gift from an old friend. He spends a lot of time lost under the Virginia creeper, but it’s nearly finished and he has made himself available again. I was so pleased to see him peeping out again, looking for lizards (too cold), or frogs. Nooooo


​Pan has presented himself again. He has been lost in the alstroemerias, but has surfaced none the worse for wear, so it’s been a heavenly afternoon of old friends appearing, 
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_06
I just love this time of the year. The two ginkos which sit either side of the drive have finished, I call them Jenny and Ian as they gave them to me while they were living here. I love them and even though they are only little, they bring me lovely memories of my family.
Glen working like a mad man. Thankyou darling. The birds have been amazing today, I bought a new bag of wild bird seed and they have all been playing in the garden. The king parrots have been amazing and the rosellas too, They all seem to be nesting - in particular the butcher bird - and the magpies fly in and out calling for more food, They are just wonderful. Yes I know I shouldn’t encourage the cockies but they are so funny and such fun. Mac always had a theory that if you feed them they won’t eat your house! They make me laugh out loud so this is winter at Downderry - soooo beautiful
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_09
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_10
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_11
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry garden 1 June 2019_12
]]><![CDATA[Fairies in the garden]]>Tue, 28 May 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/fairies-in-the-garden
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I am quite sure there are fairies at the bottom of Downderry garden - look at their darling little houses.

​I looked very hard but couldn’t see them but Matilda is coming after school maybe she will be able to see them
]]><![CDATA[Cymbidium orchids]]>Sat, 18 May 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/cymbidium-orchidsI have had this huge rusty old pot for an absolute age and it’s full of cymbidium orchids , oxaylis and watsonia. It’s never done anything and I have only ever had one spike of orchids on it, but late last year we chopped down a huge cotoneaster limb from next door and now it gets full late afternoon sun. I can’t believe it, there aren eight spikes and it’s gone totally nuts. I am thrilled to bits - it’s changed the whole look of the garden on that side, I must add that the huge old pot was supposedly for boiling down whale blubber. I have my doubts
Bickleigh Vale, Downderry Cymbidium orchids, 19 May 2019_3
]]><![CDATA[Autumn at Downderry is my favourite time of the year!]]>Thu, 02 May 2019 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.bickleighvale.com.au/bickleigh-vale--downderry-blog/autumn-at-downderry-is-my-favourite-time-of-the-yearEven though poor Downderry's garden struggled through such a ghastly summertime, the last of the nerrines and the sugar maple are in full gold for Anna’s birthday. The mighty scarlet oak is not scarlet this year but all is well.
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